Pressing machine



Fe'b. 24, 1953 s, ROSENTHAL 2,629,524

PRES-SING MACHINE Filed May' 26, 1949 ,Fiqrl 61 66 19 62 f 63 6 'f 11 v gg 72 15 73 66 V EN TOR.

Eg.5 2a 1N SMUEl-.ROENTH l..

BY @YW m l Il Toms- Patented Feb. 24, 1953 UNITED STATESl PATENT OFFICE Samuel'. Rosenthal, Cleveland, Ohio Application May Z6, 1949, Serial No. 95447 rlhis invention relatesl to improvements 1n pressing wearing apparel, and is particularly concerned with a process and apparatus for pressing the topV portion, that is, the Waist and seat, of overalls, dungarees', and similar garments.

The invention contemplates a; speciall purpose laundry machine which is designe-d to perform the pressing operations referred to above with greater economy and dispatch than other machines heretofore constructed. The invention further contemplates a machine which will remove the Wrinkles from the cloth in portions of the garment which have heretofore been neglected in laundry and cleaning work of' this type, due to the inadequacy of the pressing equipment in current use.

The cleaning and laundry industry ishighly developed and in industrial centers certainhestablishments specialize in handling work clothes; moreover, certain concerns rentv working garments, including the laundry service thereon.

Garments suchas overalls must be pressed after they are washed inorder to be attractive and acceptable to the customers. Of course, standards in this line are not the same as those for dress and business clothes, butv a reasonable degree of nnish and neatness is required. Hovw ever, laundry Work of shop clothes is generally conducted on a contract basis, which is competitive as to price; hence, any economies thatmay be realized in the operative cycle of the washing and pressing are of great importance.

With the machines now in use the leg portions of a pair of trousers may be pressed in an economical andv efficacious manner. The upper portion of the garment, however, is muchv more troublesome, and, with known pressing equipment, requires from five to seven separate operations, depending upon the favored technique.

The present invention stems from: a different approach to the problem, the new principle comprising the method of stretching the top portion of the garments on an expansible heated form of the general contour of the garment.

The principal object of the invention is to press garments in a more satisfactory manner than has been possible heretofore, to provide a machine which will facilitate a high rate of production, to minimize handling of the garment,

and to realize greater speed and economy. A further object of the invention is to provide a machine which will safeguard the buttoned, or otherwise attached, elements of the garment;

The manner in which these objects are rea1- f roy claims. (C1. 22a-v3)- ized, aswell as certain ancillary objects, will be apparent tok those skilled in the art from the description: herein of the preferred embodiment of the invention` andi the accompanying drawings, in( which:

Fig. 1 is aside view of the pressing machine;

Fig.v 2 is a-view in perspective of the same from the fronti;

Fig.- 3v is a view of afragmentary portion of the machine illustrating the pressing head in section;

Fig; 4 is av horizontal section of the pressing head, the section being taken on the plane indicated by the line 4--4 in Fig. 3;

Fig.. 5l isl a transverse view of the pressing head taken on aplane indicated by the line 5-5 in Fig. 4; and

Fig. 6 is a'.` schematic plan view illustrating the pressing of a shirt.

Referring first to Fig. 1, the. machine preferably includes a base or stand I I' having a pressing head I 2 mounted thereon at a height which will afford the most convenient manipulation of the` garment. The pressing head I2' comprises a central form I3 and side forms I4, which constitute a partial torso confined generally to the usual. shape of a pair of trousers from the waistband to a point slightly beyond the crotch. The inner form I3 may be xed to the base I I in any suitable manner, as, for example, through the angle bracket I6 and cap screws or bolts therefor. The side forms I4 are disposed in contignous relation with the side walls of the centrall form I3 and are mounted for lateral movement relative thereto in order to distend the form within the garment and thus eliminate the Wrinkles in the-,engaged portion of the garment. The form sections are hollow, each being connected to a source of steam through which they are heated.

The exact shape of the forms may vary in accordance with the style of garment to be pressed, but it has been found that a torso block of the type illustrated herein is satisfactory for a wide variety of garments, -since the flexible support of the parts of the form accommodates appreciable variation in the size and style of the garments. The inner form is provided with inlet and outlet steam pipes I1 and IB (Fig. 3) and the outer forms are connected to the steam supply line through exible hose sections I9 (Fig. 1), tapped openings 2| and 22 (Fig. 4) being provided in the castings for the fittings therefor. The forms are. provided with pipe plugs 23 of the usual type for closing the core openings which,

as shown, are preferably disposed in the forward end of the castings. The side walls of the outer forms I4 are rounded and taper toward the waistband, the inner end portion 24 thereof being of sufficient length to assure the support of the waistband of the garment. The inner form I3 is generally of the form of a rectangular parallelepiped, the upper and lower surfaces, however, being convex and the forward end being bifurcated to provide a vertical arcuate notch 26 for the reception of the crotch of the garment. The central form I3 is provided with inner walls 21 which define a transverse passage 28 for the reception of the operating mechanism for the side or outer forms I4. rI'he walls 21 are united with the upper and lower walls of the form by longitudinal webs 29 which reinforce the structure against internal pressure.

The side forms are fixed to supporting and actuating channel plates 3 I, the inner ends of which are disposed within the transverse passage 28 in the form I3. A V-shaped cam plate 32 formed with converging slots 33 in the face thereof is mounted between the arms of the channel plates on pins 34. As will be apparent, forward movement of the cam plate urges the forms I4 apart as illustrated in Fig. 4, and reverse movement thereof effectuates the retraction or closure of the form so that the garments may be readily fitted thereover or removed therefrom. The cam plate 32 is coupled with an actuating rod 31 by a pin or bolt 38 passing through a clevis in the end Aof the rod. The rod 31 is connected through linkage to a double-acting pneumatic cylinder 4I (Fig. 1). The units of the pneumaticsystem through which the cylinder is actuated and the cylinder itself may be of any commercial form, and therefore will not be described in detail herein. Preferably, the cylinder 4I is fed from a source of air under pressure through a line 42 L which is provided with a water trap 43, a pressure-regulating valve 44, and a foot-operated reversing control valve 46. The valve 46 is connected to the cylinder through conduits 41which are organized to effect the movement of the piston rod 48 in either direction and also effect the support of the piston in a raised or lowered p0- sition under the control of the operator. The cylinder 4I may be pivotally mounted on a bracket 49 fixed to the base II, and the upper end of the piston rod is guided in a sleeve 5I which is pivotally connected to a clevis on the end of an arm 52. Th arm 52 is fulcrumed intermediate its ends on a pin 53 supported in a bracket 54 extending upwardly from the base of the bracket I6. The outer end of the arm 52 supports a plate 56 provided with a pad 51 of felt or other yieldable material. The plate 56 is pivotally mounted on the arm through a pin 58.

The sleeve 5I supports a compression spring 6| whichnormally urges a shoulder 62 on the piston rod against a collar 63 secured to the lower end of the sleeve. The spring 6I is designed to outweigh the effort reduired to actuate the arm 52 but to yield when the plate 56 is firmly engaged with the form I3. Thus the initial distention of the piston rod 48 will move the pad into engaged relation with the face of the form and continued movement of the piston will vbe afforded by compression of the spring.

The piston rod 48 is also coupled to the cam plate 32 through a lost motion mechanism which is designed to effect the actuation of the cam plate 32 after the plate 56 is engaged with the form I3. The rod31 for actuating the cam is pivotally connected to a link 66 which in turn is pivoted upon an arm 61 rotatable on a horizontal shaft 68. The shaft 68 is supported n suitable brackets 69 mounted on the frame II. The arm 61 is disposed between a pair of forks 1I and 12 formed in a bell crank 13 which is freely rotatable about the shaft 68. The free ends of the forks are provided with lugs or offset portions designed for abutting engagement with the arm 61. The outer arm of the bell crank is formed with a slot therein for the reception of a pin 14 mounted in the piston rod 48. Thus, as the piston rod is elevated from its lower position (Fig. 1) the cam plate 32 will not be actuated until the arm 1I is brought into engagement with the arm 61, which, as pointed out above, is subsequent to the engagement of the plate 56 with the garment on the pressing form. When the cylinder is reversed to accommodate the removal of the pressed garment, the arm 12 will abut the opposed side of the arm 61 and effect the retraction of the cam plate.

A spring clip or similar clamp 8| may be provided at the inner end of the form to retain the waistband of the garment until the plate 56 is engaged therewith and the side blocks of the form are distended.

Plates 82 of sheet metal may be disposed over the gap between the inner and outer forms and secured to the inner form, to prevent garments from sagging between the forms as they close and being thusl caught.

In operation, the machine is prepared for use by first heating the forms, preferably by circulating steam therethrough, although other forms of heating may be employed. A pair of trousers or a similar garment having a divided tubular portion therein is next slipped over the forms in the position indicated by the broken lines in Fig. 1. The garment is arranged on the form with the front uppermost, and with the divided sections thereof buttoned or held together by a, slide fastener or so-called zipper. The garment is advanced on the form until the waistband is brought to the inner end of the form. This operation merely entails slipping the garment over the forms, and may be accomplished with ease and dispatch. The valve 46 may then be opened by actuation of the foot treadle associated therewith, this operation causing the plate 56 to descend against the closure of the garment, over the buttons or slide fastener, and thereafter effecting the lateral distension of the blocks I4. The pressure exerted by the clamping plate 56 will prevent mutilation of the slide fasteners, tearing of the garment, or strain upon the buttons or buttonholes. If the edges of the divided portion of the garment are arranged in parallel relation to each other and within the area covered by the plate, the pressing operation may be performed without the necessity of buttoning or otherwise closing the opening. The pressure and heat of the form against the garment dries and presses the material, and when this operation is concluded the operator may actuate valve 46 to collapse the form and elevate the clamp in order to accommodate the removal of the garment from the form.

The valve 46 may be provided with a catch (not shown) to hold the valve open during the drying and pressing period.

Since the operation of applying and removing the trousers requires but very little time, a single operator can easily operate a battery of machines by assembling a garment on aflrst machine, operating the valve and setting the catch.

turning to a second or third machine and repeating the operation, and finally returning to the rst machine where he may release the valve catch and renew the cycle of operation.

Although reference is madev in the foregoing description to pressing operations on the upper portion of trousers, it will be recognized that the principle of the invention may be utilized in pressing any divided tubular portion of a garment such, for example, as the body of a shirt, jacket, or jumper, the cuff of a sleeve or underwear of the type that is fashioned with buttoned edge portions.

In the application of the invention to such wearing apparel, the plate 58 may, if necessary, be modified as to length, and the forms I3 and I 4 configured to conform to the style and size of the garment. rfhis is illustrated in Fig. 6, in which .the forms i3 and it' press the shirt body and the pad 5t is long enough. to hold down the edges of the shirt, which may be buttoned or unbuttoned. The actuation of the forms and pad may be as described above.

The pivotal connections between the outer no means essential that a power-operated device be provided to lower the plate 5t and expand the element iii of the pressing form, since these operations could be eiected manually by the operator. The separate operations of the machine could also be it is obviously advantageous to eifect both elements of the machine through a common actuator. The particular arrangement illustrated, by which the clamping device 56 and the cam plate 32 are operated in sequence, is to be particularly y regarded as merely illustrative, since separate cylinders or other mechanical systems may be substituted therefor to obtain the same result.

The scope of the invention is not therefore to be inferred from the illustrative embodiment herein disclosed, but is deiined by the appended claims.

I cla-im:

l. A machine for pressing the top portion of trousers and the like comprising a frame, a center heated form on the frame coniigured to shape the central part of the top portion of the trousers, and outer heated forms carried by the center form adapted to shape the right and left parts of said top portion of the trousers, motor actuated means on the frame adapted to move the outer forms laterally to tighten them against the trousers and to retract the outer forms, and a pad pivotaily mounted on the frame for holding the closure portion. oi the trousers against the center form as said trousers are being pressed.

2. A machine for pressing the top portion of trousers and the like comprising a frame, a center heated form on the frame congured to shape the central part of the top portion of the trousers, and outer heated forms carried by the center form adapted to shape the right and left parts of said top portion of the trousers, the center form having a transverse passage formed therethrough, a member extending laterally from erformed independently, although each outer form into the passage and loosely received therein, a pin constituting a cam follower on each member, and a cam movable in the transverse passage in engagement with said pin for moving the side forms laterally to tighten them against the trousers and to retract the outer forms.

3. A machine for pressing the top portion of trousers and the like comprising a frame, a center heated form on the frame configured to shape the central part of the top portion of the trousers, and outer heated forms carried by the center form adapted to shape the right and left parts of said top portion of the trousers, the center form having a transverse passage formed therethrough, a member extending laterally from each outer form into the passage and loosely received therein, a pin constituting a cam follower on each member, a cam movable in the transverse passage in engagement with said pin for moving the side forms laterally to tighten them against the trousers and to retract the outer forms, and a clamp pivotally mounted on the frame for holding the closure portion of the trousers against the center form as said trousers are being pressed.

1l. A machine for pressing the top portion of trousers and the like comprising a frame, a center heated form on the frame configured to shape the central part of the top portion of the trousers, and outer heated forms carried by the center form adapted to shape the right and left parts of said top portion of the trousers, the center form having a transverse passage formed therethrough, a member extending laterally from each outer form into the passage and loosely received therein, a pin constituting a cam follower on each member, a cam movable in the transverse passage in engagement with said pin for moving the side forms laterally to tighten them against the trousers and to retract the outer forms, a Clamp pivotally mounted on the frame for holding the closure portion of the trousers against the center form as said trousers are being pressed, and power means on said frame for actuating the clamp and the cam.

5. A device for pressing the waist and seat portion of trousers comprising a center heated form and two side heated forms carried by the center form shaped externally to conform to said portion of the trousers, the side forms being reciprocable outwardly from the center form to tighten the side forms against the trousers, said center form having a transverse passageway therethrough, cam means between the side forms disposed in said passageway for moving the side forms laterally relative to the center form, and means for guiding the side forms in said passageway, the cam and guide means being constructed to provide a pivotal movement of limited extent of the forms.

6. A device for pressing the waist and seat portion of trousers comprising a center heated form and two side heated forms carried by the center form shaped externally to conform to said portion of the trousers, the side forms being reoiprocable outwardly from the center form to tighten the side forms against the trousers, said center form having a transverse passageway therethrough, cam means between the side forms disposed in said passageway for moving the side forms laterally relative to the center form, means for guiding the side forms in said passageway, the cam and guide means being constructed to provide a pivotal movement of limited extent of the forms, and a clamp pivotally mounted on the center form for movement toward and away from the center form for holding the closure portion of the trousers against the center form.

'7. A device for pressing the waist and seat portion of trousers comprising a center heated form and two side heated forms Carried by the center form shaped externally to conform to said portion of the trousers, the side forms being reciprocable outwardly from the center form to tighten the side forms against the trousers, said center form having a transverse passageway therethrough, cam means between the side forms disposed in said passageway for moving the side forms laterally relative to the center form, means for guiding the side forms in said passageway, the cam and guide means being constructed to provide a pivotal movement of limited extent of the forms, a clamp pivotally mounted on the center form for movement toward and away from the center form for holding the closure portion of the trousers against the center form, and power means carried by the center form for actuating the cam means and the clamp in timed relation.

8. A device for pressing the waist and seat portion of trousers comprising a center heated form and two side heated forms carried by the center form shaped externally to conform to said portion of the trousers, the side forms being reciprocable outwardly from the center form to tighten the side forms against the trousers, said the cam means and clamp, and connections between the power means and the devices actuated thereby such that the clamp is actuated before the said forms are moved.

9. A machine for pressing the portion of trousers and the like comprising a frame, a center heated form on said frame configured to shape the central part of the trousers and having a transverse passage therethrough, outer heated forms carried by the center form adapted to shape the right and left parts of the top portion of the trousers, and cam means connecting said outer forms and disposed in said passageway for shifting said outer forms transversely with respect to the center form into engagement with the trousers.

10. A machine for pressing the top portion of trousers and the like comprising a frame, a center heated form on said frame configured to shape the central part of the trousers and having a transverse passage therethrough, outer heated forms carried by the center form adapted to shape the right and left parts of the top portion of the trousers, cam means connecting said outer forms and disposed in said passageway for shifting said outer forms transversely with respect to the center form into engagement with the trousers, and a clamp means pivotally mounted on said frame for holding the closure portion of the trousers against the center form.

SAMUEL ROSENTHAL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Re. 7,166 Braun June 13, 1876 2,065,235 Matthews Dec. 22, 1936 2,412,172 'Pettit Dec. 3, 1946 2,486,486 Lauzon Nov. 1, 1949 

